Geist/Positions

"Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them." – George Elliot

The Sin-Eaters of Fallcoast

xxxxxAs long as people have lived in Fallcoast County and what it was before, there have been Sin-Eaters. The original Passamaquoddy inhabitants of the area called them shamans, able to walk between the worlds of the dead and the living. Sin-Eaters have, as such, had a great and storied history with all of the various supernatural creatures that have populated Fallcoast, from the mortals that work magic to the werewolves that stalked the forests before and after the Europeans arrived.

xxxxxAs such, Fallcoast is slightly more organized than most places in regards to the Bound. While Bound traditionally eschew larger political structures in favor of the Krewe, Faction, or Conspiracy, Fallcoast has had a need for higher organization in the past, with Krewes slipping in and out of the area. The Grand Elder, a position that only places like New Orleans and some European cities have established, was put in place around 1780, shortly after the end of the American Revolution and when the Bound needed the most structure to take down the ghosts that lingered in Fallcoast due to the men and women killed during the Revolution on either side. While largely ornamental, the Grand Elder of Fallcoast serves as a figurehead for Sin-Eaters to point to. The Elder can come from any Krewe, but is usually the oldest and most helpful of the Sin-Eaters in Fallcoast.

xxxxxOther situations required different specializations. Keepers of the Network, called by their old Roman title of Lingualis Mortis, have seen a recent resurgence as the Charonites made Fallcoast more of a liveable place for all Sin-Eaters. Likewise, different traditions have been brought to Fallcoast, bringing about Hexers and Houngan Asogwe, traditionally from old Cajun religious ideology, but having been put into practice as late as 1920. While Bound society will never match the Vampires or even Werewolves in terms of structure, having these people in place allows the Bound to know who to go to; they know that they'll be treated by a Chirurgeon regardless of their Krewe affiliation. They know that Bound Arbiters will have made a personal sacrifice to cut themselves off from that natural urge of all Bound – to join a Krewe – so as to help facilitate locations that can be considered neutral ground without any real self-interest involved.

xxxxxHowever, not everyone takes up one of these old titles out of an altruistic notion to serve their fellow Sin-Eaters. Some want what little prestige they may receive for being called a Chirurgeon or Houngan Asogwe. They want to be known, and they want to be called upon in times of need because it fulfills something within them (or even their Geist). Either way, new entrants into Fallcoast will find Bound society a little odd by comparison to other New England cities.

xxxxxAll of these "positions" can be taken at will. The real test as to whether or not someone deserves to be called what they want to be called comes down to when someone actually needs them for that purpose. A Bound Arbiter who sets up neutral ground simply to lure in their enemies for destruction will find that they're eschewed (or sometimes even hunted down) for their hubris. Sin-Eaters love tradition, and these are all more or less Fallcoastian traditions.

"I hope it is true that a man can die and yet not only live in others but give them life, and not only life, but that great consciousness of life." - Jack Kerouac

Position Descriptions

Bound Arbiters: The Bound Arbiters are a lonely lot. Forsworn not to join a Krewe, they ensure that all of the Krewes have a safe haven to hash out their disputes and prevent Bound society from falling into chaos due to Krewe warfare. Bound arbiters will generally have a place wherein they keep a neutral zone, allowing for even non-Krewe'd Bound to go and discuss potential disputes when they wouldn't otherwise be able to. Ceremonies and the Boneyard are important to a Bound Arbiter to prevent someone from enacting certain Manifestations and break neutral ground, thereby destroying its sanctity. Most Sin-Eaters are a superstitious lot, and will usually not do this on principle – however, Sin-Eaters are also a fairly emotional lot, and when tempers run hot, so does Plasm.

Chirurgeon: Half scientist, and half back-alley surgeon, the Chirugeon is the Sin-Eater that most people go to to get patched up. Tradition indicates that the Chirurgeon doesn't ask questions (and people seeing them don't explain their circumstances). If someone in one Krewe goes and flat-out kills a member of another Krewe while sustaining injuries themselves, the Chirurgeon doesn't need to (and often want to) know. Respected for their medical knowledge and Ceremonies involving healing, they're generally given a measure of status in Sin-Eater society. After all, if a Kerberos rips off your arm and hands it back to you, you're going to need someone to stitch it back onto your body. That's what the Chirurgeon's there for, and they're not going to ask or care how or why it happened.

Delver: As it sounds, the Delver is the Sin-Eater with the most Underworld experience in the city. They know the ins-and-outs of the local Autocthonous Depths and even a few nearby Dominions. They typically understand the Old Laws and will act as a guide to other Sin-Eaters that need to enter the Underworld for some reason or another. While the Underworld is not a pleasant place and very few Bound actually enjoy going there, some Sin-Eaters find themselves drawn to it. As such, Delvers will develop and become prevalent as 'rangers' for their peers. One of the more arcane aspects of a Delver is knowledge of the Principalities and how to avoid them. While the Deathlords are powerful enough to entice just about any Sin-Eater, a Delver is expected to be able to quickly tell the signs of an agent of a Principality, and inform the Lingualis Mortis to spread the word about that particular Sin-Eater. Working with a Principality causes an almost unknown variant in Sin-Eater society, and that Sin-Eater cannot - and should not - be trusted. Delvers ensure this. This also means they have a target on their backs from said agents.

Great Elder: The Great Elder is, simply put, the oldest and wisest Sin-Eater of a given location. A Great Elder is generally not chosen, nor do they choose themselves. They get to this position through age and being a mentor to the younger Sin-Eaters. Most of the time, a Great Elder is a member of a Krewe. Despite this, they will work with others outside of their Krewe to help them establish themselves and ensure that they're on the right path. They'll also occasionally assist new Krewes to help them form, and give them the basics of how a Krewe Channel works for the previously uninformed. A Great Elder is the city's version of a Krewe's 'Old One.' They're expected to be a leader, a patriarch or matriarch, but also to understand that Bound society is more or less anarchic and wild and doesn't require a real leader so much as a mentor.

Hand of All Krewes: As larger Krewes often have a Hand, this person is someone that's been decided upon by the Bound society in Fallcoast to act as the Hand of the Sin-Eaters as a whole. They're typically some sort of lieutenant to someone that the Sin-Eaters have placed in a position of great respect (the Great Elder), and will act upon the Elder's whims. These days, this means that the Hand does the things that no other Sin-Eater wants to do, such as attempt to destroy a Geist or an Avernian Gate. Sometimes the Hand of All Krewes will forsake his or her own Synergy to ensure that the local Bound are able to fulfill their own Krewes' desires without complication. They usually are expected to keep an eye on other Sin-Eaters to ensure that their peers don't fall toward being Sacrosanct or Wretched. Sometimes, the Hand of All Krewes must even performing the Reverse-Bargain in order to prevent a potential problem from emerging. The Hand of All Krewes is typically chosen, and can change frequently, given Sin-Eater society's near lack of traditional customs.

Hexer: A Hexer is the guy you get to take care of something you'd rather not take care of yourself, violently. While most Sin-Eaters don't particularly care if they kill someone, there are more than a few Bound that would prefer not to get their hands dirty – or just don't have the skill to do it themselves. The Hexer, like a Hex in a Krewe, will do it for you for a price. The price might be a Memento or a Ceremony, or it might just be a favor in the future. Either way, this is the person to lean on if you want someone or something taken care of. It should be noted that the Hexer's duties are not particularly official (such as anything is official to Sin-Eaters). A Hexer is there to do the things that no one else wants to do, be it kill a normal person, kidnap someone who's weaseling into another Sin-Eater's affairs and hold them captive until they can be told to do otherwise, or deal with other unseemly things. Hexers are also considered quasi-official executioners. Most Sin-Eaters don't like the idea of killing a Geist due to the heavy toll it takes on one's Synergy with their Geist. The Hexer has chosen to do this, and will be called on to do it for Bound that would rather not get involved in this sort of business.

Houngan Asogwe: Like the voudon high priest after which the position's named, the Houngan Asogwe is generally the best at handling ghosts and the dead in general. Typically skilled in both the Stillness and Stigmata Keys, they are almost like the city's 'exorcists.' A Houngan Asogwe is expected to figure out if there's a problem ghost somewhere in town and know what to do about it. They also are expected to understand the more mystical side of Bound existence, and are typically the most well-informed about local Gates and the like. While not expected to know everything about the Underworld (that's what the Delver's for), they are expected to understand what the local Dead Zones are, which Rivers are most likely to appear under which conditions, and typically wind up being Barristers for their fellows. While it's often that a Houngan Asogwe is from a Krewe, since Krewes offer the most protection to someone who specializes in these sorts of things, they're expected to work for the good of the Bound in general. They often work with the Hand of All Krewes to locate a Sin-Eater that has transgressed greatly against Bound society – or has simply gone off the rails and needs to be taken care of. As such, they're not seen in a totally positive light, since a word from the Houngan Asogwe could mean that the Hand of All Krewes might show up at one's door to perform a Reverse-Bargain after losing control and engaging in mass-murder or ghost-huffing.

Lingualis Mortis: The Lingualis Mortis is often called the 'Keeper of the Network,' and is in charge of ensuring that the Twilight Network is maintained and that the local Sin-Eaters are well-informed of events. It's through their efforts that the Twilight Network can be counted upon for reliable information. In Fallcoast, this position has a minor amount of status, but also requires some additional duties. A Lingualis Mortis will sometimes have to find and destroy information that's not from a credible source or is attempting to derail Bound society. They are typically more 'in the know' than most Sin-Eaters, and will work to establish connections between all Bound, regardless of Krewe.

Maga/Magus: The Maga (f) or Magus (m) is a term for a Ceremonialist that has indicated their willingness to use their Ceremonies to assist other Sin-Eaters regardless of Krewe denomination. They're also teachers, mentors to other Sin-Eaters that wish to learn their Ceremonies. The only requirement to being a Maga or Magus is to come forward and express willingness to do so. One last aspect of the Maga or Magus is their knowledge of, and creation of, Charms and Fetters. Someone who takes this position upon themselves is expected to know how to do both, and will do it for other Bound. It's an expected tradition that if a Maga or Magus creates a Fetter or Charm for another Bound that there be a gift given in return, be it training in a Manifestation of which the Maga/Magus is unaware, or a Ceremony that they might not have learned. Sin-Eaters who don't follow this tradition usually find themselves forced to learn the Ceremonies on their own, and are usually blacklisted by the local Maga or Magus from receiving aid in crafting their Mementos.

Mors Philosophus: The Mors Philosophus is, simply, a historian. While perhaps not the longest-living Bound member of a city, they still have been there a damned long while and have likely collected a great deal of information. The Mors Philosophus will chronicle the history of Bound society in a given city, from the names of the Bound and their Krewes, down to the Flesh Fairs and Carnivales that have gone on. Mors Philosophi are usually a studious group, and will go out of their way to speak to other Sin-Eaters to learn their histories to be written down for all time. It's understood that most Codices found from Krewes long-departed are kept by a Mors Philosophus and passed down, likewise with certain Memorabilia. They typically do not do this for power, but for the sheer interest they have in the occult society of their kind.

Mortuus Exaltatius: Usually a Bonepicker or Celebrant, a Mortuus Exaltatius is similar to a master of ceremonies – actual ceremonies. They're the ones who have their fingers on the pulse of society, both Bound and human, and are usually the people to talk to when a Krewe wants to hold a Flesh Fair or host Carnivale. They're fantastic organizers and create events and parties for their fellows, and are often good at working together with the Lingualis Mortis and the Outriders to figure out who should be invited, and what sort of information counts as important when those parties happen. The Mortuus Exaltatius of a city isn't a selected position; it's something that a given Sin-Eater is just genuinely good at doing, and they do their best to ensure that the other Bound are able to enjoy luxuries that wouldn't otherwise be afforded them. After all, what's a second chance without living it up?

Outrider: Outriders are the scouts of the Bound. They often mingle with other supernatural creatures and learn the secrets of other Krewes. It's fairly common for an Outrider to have more contacts among other supernatural groups than among the local Bound, allowing them to speak to them on behalf of other Sin-Eaters (usually to the chagrin of those other Sin-Eaters). Unlike Bound society, other supernaturals tend to have very restrictive societies that prevent them from speaking about themselves and usually even have a standing leader or lord that can urge their kind to war. It's up to the Outriders to prevent this from happening. Despite the power that Sin-Eaters wield, having to get involved with fighting another supernatural group, be it Vampires, Werewolves, Faeries, Wizards, or others, derails them from whatever they're supposed to be doing. Outriders also serve as scouts for the local Bound in case of a Sacrosanct or enemy Krewe incursion.